Thy Will Be Done - Church of the Living God

                                    This Story Was Reported in the News

    Many of us have heard about the tragedy of the Coal Miner’s accident where 13 men were
trapped underground and eventually a majority of them died. The accident was likely due to a
lightning strike that caused an explosion, sealing 13 men in the mine. But many of us do not know
this side of the story...

    When the news was announced about the Coal Miners entrapment under ground, the family
members and friends of the miners flocked to the church and began praying to God asking that
He save their family members, friends - the coal miner’s lives.

    Then word came that the miners had been found. Witnesses in the church stated that the
spokesperson came inside the church and announced that of the 13 miners, 12 were found alive
and one was dead. They announced the names. The family members and friends of the 12 miners
shouted, rejoiced and thanked God with a loud roar of praise. A huge celebration began. Praise
beyond description. Children were dancing in the isles and everyone was very happy that they
would soon be reunited with their loved ones. There was singing and praise as if the people had
witnessed the resurrection.

    While they praised the Lord, the small one family stood to the side grieving for the loss of
their family member, the one coal miner who did not survive. It was suggested that everyone
embrace the grieving family and support them for their loss. The family members of the 12
miners, who were said to have survived, did not heed the suggestion. It was said that only one
person comforted the grieving family.

    The witnesses present stated that a few minutes later, it was conveyed that something was
very wrong with the original report. The people were allowed to believe that the original report
was correct. There was such confusion due to media interception of cell phone calls, information
and with everyone wanting to believe the best. It was unbelievable and devastating for the people
to learn that they were lead to believe that the wrong information was correct. When officials
came back to the church and stated that a mistake had been made and then the correct
information as - of the 13 coal miners that were trapped, 12 of them died and only 1 survived. The
only survivor was of the small family member who was left alone to grieve by themselves.

    The witnesses present said suddenly the family members of the 12 coal miners who were
presumed to be alive / now dead, were very angry and in full grief. When the congregation got the
corrected news from the officials, people who were praising God in full jubilation only minutes
earlier, openly, loudly and with gladness as if they had witnessed the resurrection (when they
thought their prayers were answered) cursed God, when they realized that it was not the Lord’s
will to spare the lives of their loved ones.

    A rescue worker said in the hearings, that he may have said "They're alive" during the
confusion of finding a survivor. He apologized to the dead men's families, who have since
released a statement, saying they don't him responsible.

    The Pastor was said to be present when the first incorrect news arrived as well as when the
corrected news was announced. He remarked to the press days later that he did not know if doing
a sermon on Sunday would even be in order. Suddenly there was no more praise or thanks to God
from the family of the 12 whom actually had perished in the tragedy.

What is Coal?

Coal is a readily combustible rock containing more than 50 percent by weight of carbonaceous
material, formed from compaction and in duration of variously altered plant remains similar to
those in peat [adapted from AGI's "Glossary of Geology"]. Most coal is fossil peat. Peat is an
unconsolidated deposit of plant remains from a water-saturated environment such as a bog or
mire; structures of the vegetal matter can be seen, and, when dried, peat burns freely [adapted
from AGI's "Glossary of Geology"].

    Coal is formed when peat is altered physically and chemically. This process is called
"coalification." During coalification, peat undergoes several changes as a result of bacterial
decay, compaction, heat, and time. Peat deposits are quite varied and contain everything from
pristine plant parts (roots, bark, spores, etc.) to decayed plants, decay products, and even
charcoal if the peat caught fire during accumulation. Peat deposits typically form in a waterlogged
environment where plant debris accumulated; peat bogs and peat swamps are examples. In such
an environment, the accumulation of plant debris exceeds the rate of bacterial decay of the
debris. The bacterial decay rate is reduced because the available oxygen in organic-rich water is
completely used up by the decaying process. Anaerobic (without oxygen) decay is much slower
than aerobic decay.

    For the peat to become coal, it must be buried by sediment. Burial compacts the peat and,
consequently, much water is squeezed out during the first stages of burial. Continued burial and
the addition of heat and time cause the complex hydrocarbon compounds in the peat to break
down and alter in a variety of ways. The gaseous alteration products (methane is one) are
typically expelled from the deposit, and the deposit becomes more and more carbon-rich as the
other elements disperse. The stages of this trend proceed from plant debris through peat, lignite,
sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, anthracite coal, to graphite (a pure carbon mineral).

    Because of the amount of squeezing and water loss that accompanies the compaction of peat
after burial, it is estimated that it took 10 vertical feet of original peat material to produce 1
vertical foot of bituminous coal in eastern and western Kentucky. The peat to coal ratio is
variable and dependent on the original type of peat the coal came from and the rank of the coal.

     Please feel free to share part of all of these stories with the Church, in Bible Study, with your
family and friends. I welcome your letters and telephone calls to hear your thoughts and opinions.

This communication was made possible by the generous donations from supporters of:
Church of the Living God. Will you become a ministry partner, as well? We need and welcome
your support.

TRUE TESTIMONIAL SHORT STORY

Facts About Coal

* There are an
estimated 275 billion
tons of recoverable
coal reserves in the
United States, or
about one fourth of
the world's total.

* The energy content
of U.S. coal reserves
is four times greater
than the recoverable
oil of Saudi Arabia
and exceeds that of
all the world's know
recoverable oil
reserves.

U.S. coal production
reached a record
1.133 billion tons in
2005, while
consumption
reached a record
1.128 billon tons.
Electric generation
accounted for 92
percent, or 1.309
billion tons, of all coal
consumed in the
United states.

Source U.S. Energy
information
Administration

THY WILL BE DONE

Church of the Living God